2026 MFA Thesis Exhibition: “MERGING LANE ENDS”

Join us on Saturday, April 11 from 4-6pm to celebrate the 2026 graduating MFA cohort from the Lamar Dodd School of Art!

Artists

Adah Bennion Brian George Jana Ghezawi Kayla Hall Jaelyn “Yaya” Hill Samuel Horgan Izzy Losskarn Larissa McPherson Harper Nichols Hannah Toussaint Jordan Winiski

MERGING LANE ENDS Exhibition Statement

Referencing a traffic sign that warns of upcoming transitions, Merging Lane Endsexplores the ideas and artworks of the eleven 2026 MFA candidates from the Lamar Dodd School of Art. The works on view combine constructed scenes, manipulated materials, found objects, and performance elements. Together, these artists present a reimagined, often exaggerated yet embodied, view of the world.

Adah Bennion weaves waste materials together to explore ideas of time and resilience, while Brian George alters religious narratives by incorporating patterns drawn from biblical illustrations. Jaelyn Hill and Kayla Hall use found objects and printmaking methods to consider community archives and collective care, while Jana Ghezawi plays with timelessness by materializing her personal iconography into paintings and papier-mâché sculptures. Jordan Winiski and Larissa McPherson both draw inspiration from organic matter, addressing the simultaneous awe and disdain in humans’ relationship to the environment. Hannah Toussaint and Izzy Losskarn work at opposing ends of the physical and conceptual spectrum, yet both manipulate materials into abstract depictions of the body. Harper Nichols constructs photographs that establish a boundary between herself and the viewer, whereas Samuel Horgan bridges the gap between performer and audience, telling speculative, semi-autobiographical stories.

As this academic lane ends and these individuals begin to merge into larger, more adjacent lanes of conversation, we invite you to consider how these artists explore themes of identity, religion, environmental consumerism, and love, speaking to and playing off one another and the world at large.

For more information, contact Rachel Waldrop, Director and Curator, Athenaeum: rachel.waldrop@uga.edu and athenaeum.uga.edu. Opened in 2021, The Athenaeum is a 5,000 square foot non-collecting contemporary art venue in downtown Athens affiliated with UGA and the Lamar Dodd School of Art. Merging Lane Ends is supported by UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, The Lamar Dodd School of Art and Athenaeum Support Funds.